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Demonic Servant
Demonic Servants are undead creatures magically crafted from the souls of a Demon Prince's mortal minions. They take take the form of skeletal humanoids swathed in dark robes. In their skulls are set sparkling red eyes, which glow when the servant is being directly controlled by a higher being. - 72 They cannot speak, but relay basic information telepathically, restricting them to communicating with each other and their superiors. - 73 The Nature of Demonic Servants The Demonic Servants are reckoned as one of the Great Undead, occupying the Quartus circle in the Pit's hierarchy. - 163 It's possible that some of the Demon Princes' sycophantic devotees might regard the undeath of a Demonic Servant as some kind of reward for loyalty. However, the existence of a Demonic Servant is in fact a bleak and terrible one, as they are enthralled and dominated completely by their cruel masters. There are occasions when an evil soul who served the fell Princes in life would rather not spend his death selflessly enslaved to them, but this recalcitrance is soon broken by the "persuasions" of their Pit-dwelling masters. Curiously enough, this seems to indicate that the soul must in some way assent to becoming a Demonic Servant. If this is the case, then it would be the unfortunate soul's last act of will, whether prompted by coercion or not. A Demonic Servant has no will of its own, and scant vestiges remain of whatever sentience it may have possessed in life. No personal emotions or desires are found shifting these servants to their purpose, only slavish obedience to the commands of their master. As a result they possess only the minimum sentience necessary for understanding and undertaking tasks. Lacking any ability whatever to determine their own destinies, a Demonic servant is little more than an extension of its master's will. Classification and Role in the Pit Although one of the Great Undead, Demonic Servants can be found serving the Princes in all manner of ways, from the relatively important to the totally menial. They are even sometimes used as sacrifices. A Demon Prince, when walking upon the physical plane, will frequently be accompanied by a retinue of Demonic Servants that will cater to its needs and whims. There is a potential conflict in classifying the creatures, as, while Demonic Servants are listed in Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World as one of the Great Undead, Out of the Pit lists them as a "Demon". - 72; - 163 Special Rule In combat the servants can actually be surprisingly strong, however in game terms they suffer from a special rule, whereby if they lose two consecutive attack rounds the spell animating them is broken, and they are destroyed. - 73; - 182; - 116 Zagor's Servant Zagor, in his Bone Demon incarnation, summoned something called a Demonic Servant, but it was a far cry from the typical portrayal of the creatures. The thing was described as a Dwarf-sized Toad with tentacles, a crooked mouth and a forked tongue. It did not share the usual special rule attending combats with Demonic Servants. - 207 Further Notes *Although usually exclusively serving Demons, Razaak was known to use Demonic Servants also. - 68 See Also References